New Constellations
by rachelanne716
Summary: The seven struggle against Gaea's rising, and come to terms with what it means to die. There will be a different viewpoint for every chapter uploaded. Post HoH.
1. Chapter 1

The ground rose up suddenly in front of Annabeth, her foot caught on the mound, and she tumbled over herself. As soon as she was back on her feet, a sharp pain slashed through her body making her feel like she was just torn in two.

She screamed.

Her hands started to shake as she saw the sword protruding from her stomach. Gasping for air, choking on words she was unable to form, she looked towards Percy. He was already staring at her, his eyes reflecting the terror in her own.

Pain struck her again as the sword was taken out of her, worse than when it had entered. She knew it was futile but she tried to hold herself together. To keep herself from falling apart long enough to survive.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Her lungs protested, they didn't want the air anymore. She could feel her body shutting down.

The stench of her own blood was overwhelming. Tears formed in her eyes as she heard a muffled scream from Percy. She coughed and watched as more of her blood left her body. Percy was fighting, trying so hard to reach her, to save her. He screamed again.

Her legs gave out on her and she crashed to the ground.

She felt numbness start to overtake her and she fought it. Pain meant you were alive, pain meant hope. All numbness brought was emptiness and death.

Percy would die next. She tried to say his name and pray for his safety, but she found she couldn't speak.

Annabeth couldn't fight it any longer, her strength failing her. She let herself fade from this world, staring into those sea green eyes she loved so much.


	2. Chapter 2

Percy was seriously freaking out. He and Annabeth had cut it close before, but this was a whole new level of dangerous. Sweat trickled down his forehead and into his eyes. It stung and he wished he could wipe it away. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest he could feel his pulse. His hands had lost feeling a long time ago. He moved his arms, testing his restraints. The ropes holding him were strong. Nothing short of a sharp edge was going to break them.

He wanted so badly to say something, to yell at Annabeth to HURRY UP or tell her how much he loved her, but every time he tried, it just came out a garbled mess. Percy didn't think the gags were entirely necessary. He watched, their fate in her hands, as Annabeth sawed away at the ropes connecting her wrists.

They had a few minutes at best before their time was up and their blood spilled on the steps they sat upon. The sky was dark, clouds hanging close to the ground as they blocked out all light. Percy could only just make out Annabeth's face as she bit her lip in concentration. They made eye contact. Her grey eyes, fierce and intimidating, still set Percy on edge from time to time. This time though, he could see the love in them as well. She turned slightly to show her progress to him. A few more cuts would do it.

Her arms ripped free of the last strands and she immediately cut through the bindings on her ankles, spitting out her gag as she did so. The giants around them yelled, outraged. One took a swipe at Annabeth and she was forced to duck and roll away from Percy. He grunted, frustrated and tried to stand up to make his way towards Riptide.

The ground started to shake and sink, the previously hard stone turning into the consistency of sand. Percy fell backwards, the ground rising to meet him and hold him in place. Annabeth was having trouble dodging and staying on her feet. A rumble from beneath Percy turned into a scream, "GET HER!"

Percy knew it was only a matter of time before Annabeth was caught again. They were completely surrounded by giants. He needed to do something to help her. If only this stupid sacrifice could have taken place next to a lake. Annabeth ran past Percy, closely followed by a giant. She yelled at him, "Look for water underground!"

He closed his eyes and focused on the familiar sensation of tugging, searching for water beneath him. There was an underground stream, tiny, but a source of water all the same. Percy strained, calling it towards him, fighting through the many layers of ground. It began to rise, bringing a sense of hope back into him. Once he had water, he could get them out of here, he could get them out and safely back with their friends.

Annabeth screamed, breaking Percy's focus. His lost control of the water as he opened his eyes and saw Annabeth impaled through the stomach with a sword. Her eyes were wide, more terrified than Percy had ever seen. This couldn't be happening. The giant who struck her yanked the sword out, leaving behind a gaping hole. Her hands went to it, tried to hold it together, to keep what belonged inside of her inside. She looked down, blood falling in a steady flow out of her.

No.

NO.

How could this be happening?

He screamed her name into his gag, she looked at him, tears in her eyes. She coughed up blood. Please no. Percy thought. Not her, not her, please, not her_. _He screamed again, fighting with renewed strength against his bondage. The ropes cut into his wrists, bloodying them.

Please don't let this be happening.

Annabeth fell to the ground with a dull thud. Her eyes latched onto Percy, hungry to see his face, to see him alive. Her mouth was moving. He couldn't hear her speak, but knew she was saying his name. Pleading for her life, pleading for his life.

There's no way this is happening.

Percy watched helpless as Annabeth's eyes glazed over. What he had just thought to be fierce and intimidating only moments before looked empty to him now. The grey of her eyes no longer cut into him, seeing him as no one else could. They couldn't see anything anymore.

He sobbed, his body shaking, no longer even bothering to put up a fight. How could he when she lay there, staring, staring, staring at him. He didn't want to look, but he couldn't stop. To see her broken, bruised, and bloodied was better than not seeing her at all.

Percy barely registered the voice as it said, "Finish it."

Please _Please. _

This isn't happening.

He saw cold steel come and settle upon his neck. As it cut down deep, slashing into him, he imagined that this was another training session. He had just been beaten by Annabeth for the millionth time. She would soon be there to offer a hand and help him to his feet. Her eyes sparkling and her hair glowing, the curls whipping as the wind took hold of them.

But Annabeth wasn't coming, she was dead right in front of him.

The pain Percy felt was immense, his throat on fire, his lungs struggling for air. Blood pooled in his mouth, choking him, trickling out the sides. The worst of it all was the stabbing pain where his heart was struggling to pump life back into him. A black haze crept in around the edges of his vision as he continued to stare into Annabeth's eyes. She was the last thing he saw before the darkness swallowed him whole.


	3. Chapter 3

Frank had been flying for hours and he wasn't tired yet. Careful to always keep the Argo II in his sights, he ventured away from the group, acting as a scout.

Out of all the animals he could turn into, Frank loved being a bird the most. The freedom he felt when he spread his wings knowing that only his strength kept him above the ground was like no other. All of his senses were keener when he was an animal. As a bird, his sight was the most incredible and yet he still hadn't seen any sign of Percy or Annabeth.

When the wind and the rain hit him, buffeting his wings and slowing his flight, Frank knew they had to be getting close. He dipped below the clouds, revealing a gathering of giants in the distance. Wanting to get a closer look, Frank brought his wings in and dove towards the ground.

The wind whistled past him as he sped up, the giants growing in size the closer he got. He snapped out his wings to catch the air and slow his descent, flapping to keep his body at an angle to the ground. Frank didn't want to be spotted so he kept his distance and traveled in a large circle around them. Once past the giants, he spotted two bodies lying on the ground, framed in pools of blood.

No.

It couldn't be them.

As soon as Frank landed he turned human and collapsed on his knees between the bodies of his friends. Percy was lying on his left and Annabeth on his right, their eyes still open, but blank, blank and devoid of any life.

No. But-

How could they have died? Percy so strong and Annabeth so smart, the two of them were the best team out of the seven. They made it through Tartarus, they always made it through. How could they have died?

They looked so tiny in death, nothing like how Frank remembered them living. Living they were formidable, they were strong, unstoppable. Dead they were nothing.

Percy had been the first friend aside from Hazel Frank had ever made at Camp Jupiter. Annabeth had immediately accepted him based on Percy's opinion. He never had to prove his worth to these two; they saw him for who he was.

Frank cried into his hands, taking a moment to feel the full pain of the loss. It threatened to break him apart before he pushed it down to deal with it another time. He reached over gingerly and closed the eyes of both of them. Wiping his face, Frank stood up and turned back into an eagle. He flew away, not wanting to look at his broken friends for one second longer.

It was much harder to fly now, the winds were reaching dangerous speeds and Frank was having difficulty holding the transformation. His wings were trembling from the effort of flight and his body was trembling from grief. He wouldn't be able to last much longer out here so he made his way back to the Argo II, trying to think of how to break the news to everyone else.

It looked like the weather was taking a toll on the Argo II. There was a flurry of activity on the deck as Leo ran back and forth, adjusting and fixing various parts of the ship. Jason was standing at the helm, occasionally throwing up an arm to deflect lightning from hitting the mast. Piper and Hazel were standing next to each other, talking and holding onto the railing as the ship was tossed back and forth. Hazel's face lit up when she spotted Frank and she moved to met him as he landed.

Her initial happiness was short-lived. Hazel knew Frank better than anyone else, so she knew when someone was wrong. Now human again, Frank bent down and pulled Hazel into a hug, his arms wrapping under hers and drawing her close. She spoke softly, "What happened?"

By this time, Leo and Jason had noticed something was wrong and came to stand by them. Frank released Hazel from the hug and said to all four of them, "Percy and Annabeth are dead. We didn't make it in time."

Hazel gasped, a hand flying to her mouth, her eyes immediately welling up with tears. Piper didn't move, she looked frozen in shock. Jason sat down, burying his face in his hands, hiding his emotions from the group. It was Leo who spoke, "Are you sure Frank?"

"Yes." He replied, "I saw their bodies myself."

"Oh." Leo looked down, fidgeting with his tool belt, his fingers moving so fast, Frank couldn't tell what they were doing. By this time Piper had had enough time to process the news; tears ran silently down her face. A loud sob escaped from Hazel and she put both hands on mouth, attempting to stop her crying.

Jason lifted his head, wiped his eyes and said, "We cannot afford to mourn them now. Their deaths mean that Gaea will be able to rise, she might be waking already and we still have to stop her."

"And how are we going to do that?" Piper asked her voice steady, but her hands shaky, the tears still falling. "Our plan up until now has been to _prevent _her from waking. Well she's already there, and we have no chance of defeating her now."

Hazel's voice was broken and strained as she said, "I can feel her waking in the ground as we speak. Her power is infinitely more than what I ever felt in Alaska. Piper's right, we'll die if we fight her."

Frank spoke, "Then what should we do? We can't just sit back and do nothing." The ship jerked violently to the side, almost knocking the five half-bloods off their feet.

Leo ran up to the controls, straightening the Argo II. The rain had made the deck slippery and Frank grabbed onto the rail to keep himself standing. His question was still hanging in the air. No one had an answer, for the first time on their quest they were at a complete loss of what to do.

Leo yelled from behind them, "We need to make a decision quickly. This storm is too strong, if we stay up here, we'll get run into the ground."

Everyone looked to Jason, but it was Piper who spoke, "I say we go back to Camp Half-blood." Frank looked at her shocked. She was suggesting running away. "No," She continued, "I'm serious. Any plan that we could come up with to fight her will fail. If we return home, we can rally the remaining half-bloods and convince the gods to join the fight. They won't have a choice now. Having an army at our backs is better than taking her and her giants on just the five of us."

"I don't like it," Jason said, "but it's probably our best bet. What do you two think?"

Hazel said, "I don't think we have any other options."

Frank nodded in agreement, "Let's do it."

Jason turned and yelled up to Leo, "Turn the ship around and take us home."

"Uhhh," Leo looked to be fighting with the wheel, "I'm not sure I can. The winds are drawing the ship in and I don't have the engine power to fight it."

"Drawing the ship to what?" Piper asked.

"Her." Leo pointed. In the middle of a massive swirling of black clouds stood a mountain rising from the ground. Frank was terrified of it even at the distance they were at. Four giants stood nearby watching as the ground crumbled and shook and bended in on itself to give to the massive form. Chunks of the earth were levitating off the ground, glowing with the same energy as Gaea's waking mound.

One of the boulders was hurtled toward the ship. It crashed into the side, sending tremors through the Argo II. More of them came, each one bigger than the last. One rocked the boat so much it was almost completely parallel on its side to the ground. Frank heard Piper scream as she slid off the edge of the boat, falling out of sight. He followed soon after her, unable to keep his footing on the slick deck.


	4. Chapter 4

The air was forced out of Hazel's lungs as Jason threw an arm around her midsection, stopping her from falling off the Argo II. His hand rested just above her hip bone and it was the only thing right now that kept her from following after Piper and Frank. The two of them dangled off the railing of the ship as it slowly righted itself in the air, standing tall and straight again.

Jason then let go and flew them up and over, landing on the deck. Releasing his hold on Hazel, he immediately turned around and went to jump off the edge of the ship. Hazel rushed in front of him, stopping the jump by putting a hand on his chest. "Wait Jason," She said, "Frank fell off too, he can catch Piper. Besides, you're needed on the ship." As if to prove her point, the sky erupted in lightning, one bolt getting dangerously close to the ship.

He stepped back, "You're right, sorry." Hazel smiled at him then went up to go stand next to Leo.

Everything around him was either lit up or beeping. She was used to Leo being a nervous energy kind of guy, but right now he seemed so wound up, Hazel was afraid he would break apart if she touched him. His hands were flying, doing their best to keep the controls operational. Even with her limited knowledge of how the ship ran, Hazel knew what she was looking at wasn't good.

Leo looked at her, "Between the wind and the rain and those giant boulders, I'm not sure how much longer she can hold out."

"Can you at least get us away far enough away to do repairs?" Hazel asked.

"No." Leo turned a knob and flipped a switch. "The engines are at max right now and we're still being sucked toward her." His eyes were sad as he said, "I think you're going to have to abandon ship."

"But Leo," Hazel protested, "We can't abandon the Argo II, I'm sure there's ano-"

"Another way?" Leo scoffed. "There isn't. Trust me Hazel, I know the limits of this ship, I made her. And I never said 'we're abandoning', I said 'you're abandoning' as in you and Jason."

Hazel was angry, "If you think we're going to just leave you here on a ship that's doomed to crash, then you're crazy!"

For a while, only the howling of the winds could be heard. Then Leo spoke again, pleading, "Jason can only take one person in these weather conditions Hazel, I want it to be you." Hazel wasn't sure what to say to that.

It was then that Jason walked up, "What are you two talking about?"

She found her voice again, "Leo thinks we should leave him behind and jump ship. Tell him that's not going to happen."

Jason was taken aback. He looked at Leo and said, "Are you kidding?! There's no way I'm leaving you on this ship to die."

Leo put his hands out, "Please, We don't have a lot of time. If you two leave now, you'll be able to get to the ground and get away. I'll crash the ship into Gaea-" Hazel opened her mouth but Leo continued to talk over her, "NO listen to me! I will crash the ship into her. The explosion will cause enough damage that she'll be distracted, I'm thinking the winds will die down and you'll be able to fly far enough away to get out of her pull."

"You're thinking?" Jason asked skeptical.

"I'm like almost certain it will work." Leo rubbed the nape of his neck, "Come on, not all three of us have to die."

"And you're okay with this?" Jason asked. Hazel could tell through Jason's eyes that he was tormented by Leo's idea, but he was thinking about it.

"Yes." Leo sounded confident.

"We are NOT doing this." Hazel crossed her arms and looked between the two of them, daring them to contradict her.

Leo kept looking at Jason. "Please. I want you to do this."

Hazel threw her hands up in the air, "Don't ignore me! This isn't going to happen Leo."

Jason quietly pulled Leo into a hug, closing his eyes as he did so. Leo's own eyes widened then he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around his best friend. Hazel was breathing heavily now, her anger turning into dread, "Don't you do this Jason." She said as he broke out of the hug.

He turned and picked her up easily, throwing her over his shoulder and keeping a strong grip on her despite her struggles. "No, no." Hazel started to cry, "Stop Jason, no please stop." She hit him over and over again, but his arms never slackened around her. "Oh gods, Leo. Please no he'll die."

Her crying turned into sobs as Jason stepped up on the railing of the ship. He turned around to Leo and it was then that Hazel could see that Jason was crying as well. Before they jumped off Hazel looked one last time at Leo, trying to burn the image of him alive and well into her head. He gave her a small sad wave, and then just like that, he was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

Piper was fine. Aside from falling off the ship and plummeting towards her death, Piper was fine. The force of the wind caused her to spin violently once she started falling and it took her a while to get herself righted. She had absolutely no idea which direction the Argo II was in after that, plus now she felt a little sick.

But otherwise she was fine, it wouldn't be long now till Jason came and saved her.

Lightning crackled around her, sending the hairs on her arms straight into the air. The rain pelted her. The wind whipped her hair back and forth, stinging each time it fell across her face. Her clothes had long since been drenched and clung to her, wet and uncomfortable.

She could barely see anything. The clouds around her were so dense that she couldn't even see what was directly in front of her. She turned onto her stomach, hoping that by spreading eagle, she could slow her descent.

The darkness broke around her, pierced by a dim light, as she fell free of the gathering of clouds. The light was coming from Gaea's rising form. It cast an eerie shadow on its surroundings, making everything seem sinister and hopeless.

Where was Jason?

He should have caught her by now.

It was times like these where Piper wished she had gotten a better demigod power, one that could actually help her out of situations like these. Charmspeak only worked when you had someone to use it on. She couldn't charmspeak herself into not crashing into the ground.

The longer she fell, the more Piper thought she should be worried. Usually heights didn't scare her, having a boyfriend who could fly helped with that, but he wasn't appearing like he always did. Tears escaped from her eyes and were taken by the wind.

From her right side, Piper heard a loud screech. She squinted her eyes trying to see where it came from. She heard it again, but this time it was behind her. She was starting to panic, wondering what was up in the sky with her when it screeched again. Her brain finally recognized it as the screeching of a bird, which could only mean that it was Frank.

She yelled his name and was rewarded when he appeared out of the clouds, rushing towards her. Frank swooped in behind her, his talons wrapping around her upper arms. His wings started flapping furiously and Piper's fall began to slow.

Relief washed over her. They were still heading toward the ground, but it was a controlled glide instead of a free fall. The wind was tearing at them, forcing Frank to fly in the direction of Gaea, as hard as he tried to fight it.

Closer and closer they got. Piper could tell Frank was tiring, but the last thing she wanted to do was land on the ground. Dirt and rocks flowed underneath them like water, traveling with the wind, traveling toward the center of power.

She yelled to him, "Frank, we need to go up, back to the ship."

He screeched at her sharply as if to say, "Don't you think I'm trying?" His wings on either side of her were giving all they had and yet they continued to drift downward, the wind pushing against them.

They were close enough now that Piper could see with clarity the gathered giants standing, waiting for Gaea to awake. Anxiety built up inside of her. Frank would have to fly past them and make it around Gaea for them survive.

Her heart almost stopped as one of the giants turned around, noticing the two half-bloods. He smiled and Piper shivered. His hand rose and closed, but Frank swerved around it. Another hand came from the side and Frank managed to dodge that one too. Frank didn't get so lucky the third time.

The two of them were swatted in mid air. Frank lost his hold of her and Piper fell the second time that day, crashing to the ground, crying out as she felt her leg break. Cradling her wound, Piper looked frantically for Frank. He had recovered quickly and was on his way back to her.

Piper's relief was replaced with horror as she watched one of the giants snatch Frank out of the sky. He struggled for a few seconds, changing into ever larger animals trying to break free, but it was no use. Even from where she sat on the ground, Piper heard the deafening snap as he was crushed to death. It vibrated in her head, bouncing around as her brain tried to make sense of what she had seen.

Frank's body was thrown to the side, no longer any animal, but a broken boy. Piper felt sick.

She tried to stand up, to run, to do something, but she couldn't. The ground beneath her had risen and encased her legs. Piper panicked. She tried desparately to free herself but the earth around her steadily pulled her under. Slowly, slowly, parts of her were disappearing. A laugh shook her half buried body, mocking her attempts to escape.

Only her arms and head were left. She clawed at the ground, tearing her nails apart in a last ditch effort. Piper cried out, using all the force she could muster, commanding someone, anyone to "HELP ME." The giants just stared at her.

She cried as her arms went under and took a big breath right before her head followed.

The darkness was absolute, the dirt pressed up against Piper on all sides, coaxing her to release the air in her lungs, to give in. It pressed ever closer to her, building the pressure on her body. She felt herself being drawn down down down, farther away from the surface.

The pressure was crushing her now, it hurt so much, but Piper kept her mouth closed. It wouldn't matter soon anyway, her lungs were screaming for air. It was like a fire had been lit in her chest.

She was terrified. She had been faced with death before, but never this close, never this hopeless. Piper didn't want to die.

Finally, from lack of air, her body slipped into unconsciousness. It didn't hurt anymore, she couldn't feel a thing.


	6. Chapter 6

Leo was on autopilot. His hands were controlling the ship, but his mind was elsewhere. It was easy to put on a tough guy act when Jason and Hazel were here, but they were gone and he was having trouble keeping it together.

It didn't surprise Leo that Frank and Piper hadn't reappeared. He didn't expect them to. If the winds could push around a giant flying ship, Leo was sure Frank was having trouble flying as well.

Hopefully his actions would mean the survival of everyone. Seventh wheel or not, he was determined to help his friends. How big of a failure would this quest be if all seven of them died?

The Argo II jerked Leo sharply to the right. He had to use both hands to keep his vessel from tipping on its side and the continuing barrage of giant rocks certainly wasn't helping. Right now, all Leo could do was try to keep the ship together until he reached the center. Sure he wouldn't be able to actually kill anything down there, but it would be enough.

It had to be enough.

Hazel and Jason's departure had left him shaken. He kept telling himself this was for the best, but he couldn't get Hazel's begging or Jason's hug out of his mind. When he had leaned into that hug, Jason spoke into his ear, quiet enough that Hazel couldn't hear. All he said was, "I'll miss you."

It made Leo feel a little better to know that both of them cared that much about him. Although how good can you really feel when you consciously made the decision to die for your friends?

He would guide the Argo II and crash it, hopefully into her face. It wouldn't be too long now; he was approaching faster and faster, the ground surging below as it responded to Gaea's rising. It almost looked alive.

Chills went up Leo's spine as her form rose up in front of him. Her eyes were still closed, the face still the same from when Leo met her all those years ago. He was afraid of what would happen when those eyes finally opened, afraid of what would be behind them.

She had haunted him for years after that fire. To see her, this powerful right in front of him was so terrifying not even his subconscious could dream that up.

Leo did some quick calculations in his head. Based on current speed and the pull of the wind, he estimated he would collide within 10 seconds.

10. Gaea's form grew ever massive in front of him.

9. Maybe now he'd finally see his mother again.

8. Leo's heart was about to jump out of his chest.

7. Oh gods.

6. Was it too late to change his mind?

5. He felt like throwing up.

4. Please let this be enough.

3. Oh gods. Please.

2. He closed his eyes, praying for his friends.

1. His world erupted into flames, the force of the impact killing him instantly.


	7. Chapter 7

Jason didn't want to set down on the ground. It was her domain and he didn't trust it, but he couldn't keep flying forever, the wind was too strong. They had stopped making progress a while ago and it was all Jason could do to keep them from moving backwards.

He landed on a tree, Hazel hopping down beside him. She turned her back to him and plopped down on the branch. Her shoulders started shaking and her nose started sniffling, but Jason didn't dare comfort her.

She was furious with him and if he was honest, he was furious with himself. He told himself to think logically and that's what he did, but it didn't feel right. He had done it, he had left his best friend to die.

Jason felt empty inside. He looked toward the sky, over the trees, hoping to get a glimpse of the Argo II. After a minute or so, he watched the clouds light up, flames dancing towards the heavens. Heat and loss washed over him in equal waves. The howling died down; the pull of energy decreased. Leo's plan had worked. He was gone.

It was now or never.

Flying was much easier and Jason was giving it all he had, trying to get as far away as possible before Gaea recovered. The further they traveled the more solid the ground began to look. Hazel was now riding on Jason's back, her arms locked around his shoulders and neck, his arms supporting her legs.

She hadn't said a word to him since they jumped off the ship. The tears had all but dried up, leaving her face red and her eyes sad.

The whole time they were in the air, Jason had been on the lookout for Piper and Frank. His eyes were constantly flitting across the sky, looking everywhere.

As if reading his thoughts, Hazel spoke, "Piper and Frank are dead." There was no emotion in her voice, only hollowness. She said the sentence slowly, but with conviction.

Jason stopped breathing; it was like someone had punched him in the gut. He wavered in the air, dropping a few feet before pulling back up again. "How do you know?" He asked.

"It's the same feeling I had when we were searching for Percy and Annabeth," She shuddered, "A sense of coldness, of despair, of longing." He wanted to cry, to scream, to plead, but he knew she was right. Hazel wouldn't have said it if she wasn't.

Jason let silence fall between them again. Annabeth. Percy. Frank. Leo. Piper. All Dead. It was only him and Hazel left now.

Jason just wanted to collapse and let the grief overwhelm him, to mourn for his friends to let himself for once break and fall to pieces, to feel the sadness fully and without restraint, but Jason knew he couldn't do that. Their survival right now depended on him and so he would have to stay strong, like he always had.

Time passed slowly, inching along. Jason couldn't have said how long they were flying. Minutes? Hours? Days? He felt detached from it all, like someone else was piloting his body.

The storm overhead faded as they continued, but the sky remained dark as the sun set. The ground looked stable and Jason no longer felt like they were going to be shot down from the sky at any moment. He said, "I need to land Hazel."

Her face had been pressed against his back and she lifted it to look down. After a moment, she said, "The ground is safe to walk on here. She hasn't come this far yet."

Trusting her judgment, Jason dropped to the ground. His feet touched the dirt and he took a step, it was safe. Hazel climbed off his back and sat on the ground, bringing her knees up to her chin.

"You should rest." She said, "I'll keep watch."

Jason nodded and laid down next to her, turning away. "I'm sorry Hazel." He said.

She responded by putting a hand on his shoulder, "I know."

He laid awake, unable to fall asleep. The world around him plunged into darkness as night arrived. Whenever he closed his eyes, images of his friends appeared. He couldn't stand to see them. In his mind's eye, they were as he remembered them, happy and alive. It wasn't the truth though and Jason didn't like lying to himself.

Instead he stared into the night sky, imagining each star was a life that had left the world of the living. They shone bright, far away from the troubles of the world. Jason located the constellation he knew as Zoe. Personally, he had never met her, but his sister told him about her sacrifice and how Artemis preserved her image in the stars.

Would the gods show as much compassion for his fallen friends as Artemis did for her huntress? Probably not. They would only care what the deaths meant to them, the falling of Olympus.

He would remember them though, living the rest of his life honoring their memory, however long his life might last.

What hurt him the most was that he only got to say goodbye to one of them. Everyone else's deaths were so sudden. There was nothing to prepare him. If he had known death was coming, the last time he saw Piper he would have kissed her and held the embrace forever, living in that moment. To go back and stare at her impossible eyes, to hear her speak, he wished it with all his heart. It was all he wanted.

Jason dozed, drifting in and out of a light sleep. His dreams were nothing but nightmares as his brain brought his friends to life only to watch them die all over again. He awoke with a start, the dreams already fading. They left behind a sense of dread that grew as Jason searched the vicinity for Hazel.

Where she had been sitting, there was nothing but a dent in the grass. Jason stood up, all his senses alert, his mind expecting the worst. In case this was the result of an attack, he stayed quiet, moving his way over to the trees.

The leaves blocked out what little light the stars and moon provided, leaving Jason to stumble through the undergrowth. He heard voices and stopped behind a tree, drawing his sword out. He was unable to hear what they were saying, but one voice was definitely Hazel. He inched closer, ready to jump out and fight if need be.

She spoke quietly; her words were rushed and filled with emotion. He couldn't make out who she was speaking with, the shadows from the trees making it near impossible to see. Jason squinted and could only make out that the figure was a man. He stood tall and imposing, his eyes burning with fire, and his voice filled with power. His hand reached out and grabbed Hazel's shoulder.

"Hazel!" Jason yelled, concerned for her safety. He stepped out from behind the tree, sword raised. She turned toward him slowly. When her eyes met his, there was no fear in them. She looked at peace with herself. Her body shimmered in front of him, fading in and out. One moment she would be perfectly solid and the next you could see right through her.

It was then that he realized the man she was talking to was her father, Hades. Jason's eyes widened in understanding, "Hazel don't do this." He took a step toward her, lowering his sword.

She reached up to the hand grasping her shoulder and said, "This is what I want Jason. I never belonged here anyway."

His voice broke as he said, "I can't lose you too."

She looked away from him, sadness replacing the look of acceptance and peace. Jason could barely see her when she said, "I'm sorry." As the last syllable fell from her lips, she disappeared completely, the shadows surging forward, wrapping around her and her father.

Jason stood numb, tears he had been trying so hard to repress falling freely. How could he be strong? He had no one now, there was no one left to be strong for. He clenched his hands and let the sobs consume him, thinking of nothing but his grief.

Jumping into the air, Jason flew up high, higher than he ever had. If only he could get close enough to the stars then maybe he could join them too.


End file.
